It is known that such nutcrackers, which are particularly wide-spread in the prior state of the art, are constituted by two slightly incurved arms which are articulated at one of their ends, their free ends forming a lever arm. The fruits whose shell it is desired to crack, such as in particular walnuts or hazelnuts, are placed near the articulation, between the inner faces of the arms, and an effort is exerted on the free ends of said arms, tending to bring them closer together. In order to avoid the fruit which is gripped between these arms sliding inside the latter, the inner face of said arms comprises a rough surface.
Such rough surfaces are usually formed by successive flutings hollowed in the arms. It has been observed that such rough surfaces are sometimes insufficient to ensure hold, without slide, of the fruit between the two pivoting arms, all the more so as, after a certain number of uses, these rough surfaces tend to become blunt due to the abrasive action exerted by the shell of the fruit. It is an object of the present invention to propose a means ensuring efficient hold of the fruit between the arms of the nutcracker.
Another drawback inherent in this type of nutcracker device is that it is difficult for the user to calculate his/her effort so as to crack the shell of the fruit without deteriorating the inside thereof.
In order to avoid such a drawback, stop elements which come into contact with one another when the two arms have been brought as close as possible to each other, have been arranged on the inner faces of the arms. However, it will be understood that such stops can be efficient only insofar as the fruit is held between the arms without slide during actuation, which, unfortunately, is not the case of nutcrackers of the prior state of the art.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to propose such means for holding the fruit inside the arms of a nutcracker.